First chapter = disclaimers
Rose7: Thanks for the feedback. I was trying for Terry being more suspicious than shocked, but I do think you're right in that he could have had some more emotion roiling around in him than that. I'll attempt to remedy this is the next chapter here.
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Terry glared suspiciously at the innocuous hospital door. Going through that door would lead to the wing of the hospital where his father was currently being kept for "observation."
He pulled at the cuff of his jacket as he pondered what exact kind of "observation" they were doing. He felt horrible about the thoughts he was having. He was informed that his father was alive and the first thought that popped to his head was that some new criminal was trying to take over Gotham. His first emotion had been fear that that criminal had figured out he was Batman and was going to use his own father against him.
The shock of the news had been pushed to the back of his brain as a reflex action. Sure, he had shown a modicum of surprise and even leaked out some raw emotion, but he had quickly begun to shut down his personal impulses to look at the situation as batman would.
Terry was not sure if he should be proud or disgusted with his reactions. Probably both, maybe neither.
"Terry, are you ready to go in? They've confirmed our status."
Terry merely nodded as he followed his mother down the hallway. Was Terry McGinnis ready? No, not in ten million years and five trips through hell would he be ready to face such weirdness, but he did not have to be ready. He had to go. He had to see what sort of monstrosity awaited him. Unbidden memories of Dr. Freeze ran through his head. What if his father turned out to be a similarly tortured soul?
Terry struggled to keep back a macabre laugh. Wayne would be proud of him for analyzing the situation so thoroughly.
Mary looked at her son worriedly. He had a half smirk on his lips that didn't look quite sane. Maybe taking him to see his father so soon hadn't been a good idea. Then again, when was the right time to take a child to see a previously dead parent?
"Terry?" She questioned as she stood in front of the door that led to the room that his father was in.
"Mom lets just get this over with. I don't think I'm ever going to be really ready," Terry said with a touch of teenage suffering.
Gently, he moved past his mother and pushed open the door to the hospital room. It looked normal. It smelled normal. He didn't exactly sense any unusual or out of place objects. Except, of course, that his father was there and breathing.
"Terry," his father's eyes lit up with tears and the elder McGinnis smiled as he saw his son, "I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again."
Terry forced a smile onto his lips, "Yeah, me neither."
Instead of going to his father's bedside, her skirted around to look out the window of the hospital room, "They gave you a room with a view, huh?"
Terry watched his parents in the reflection of the window. He guessed that he wasn't acting as was expected of him by the twin expressions of confusion mixed with shock that were on their faces.
Mary smiled at her ex-dead ex-husband by way of apology. He shook his head and smiled back. After all, he'd always understood Terry better than she had. Not that that said much…
"Terry, its okay to be confused, but I'm not some zombie. I'm your father. I love you. I know that this is difficult for you."
Terry closed his eyes and fought back the swell of emotions that came to the fore front of his mind. He whirled around to face them quickly enough that the movement seemed to surprise his parents.
"It isn't difficult. It's suspicious."
"Terry!" his mother exclaimed surprised at the change in her son's tone of voice.
"Well, it is. I'm suddenly given something unattainable. I suddenly get something I always wanted, but knew I could never have. It isn't right. I'm not sure I really believe that it's you," Terry fixed his gaze on his father silently challenging him.
Mary moved to scold her son for his behavior, but was stopped by a voice speaking low.
"If I wasn't your father, would I know that you disobeyed me the night I died? Would I be thankful that you were gone when I was killed? Would I care more about you than myself right now?"
Terry looked at his father and shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know."
Mary sighed, "Warren, perhaps this isn't the best time for you and Terry to talk."
"No, no, this is the perfect time. I might be newly alive, but I know my son, and he's staying right here and facing this."
Terry didn't flinch as he stared at his father's face. It sounded like his father even though the voice was slightly raspy and the complexion was very pale. The scolding tone was correct. And the look of love was hard to pretend to have.
"I'm not a stranger, Terry. I'm not some other person. I am your father, and I'll ground you to prove it."
Terry laughed and sat down heavily in the small chair in the room, "Well you certainly sound like my dad."
He paused a moment and thought.
"If I was out every night getting into fights and breaking into buildings, would you still love me?" Terry asked after a moment's pause.
"I'm your father of course I'd still love you. I'd have to turn you into the police, but I'd still love you the same as I did when you were in that gang. I'd love you enough to lock you in your room without a means of escape."
Terry sighed, "Well, if you aren't Dad, you sure do sound like him. Although, I was hoping for a little more scolding," he finished with a slight smirk.
"I think I'll leave that to your mother," Warren answered.
"Yeah, speaking of which, maybe you two would like to talk or something without me around. I mean I'm not exactly non-stressful to you right now. I'm sure the doctors won't be happy with me."
"Does this concern mean that I'm not a zombie?"
Terry shrugged his shoulders, "I guess so."
As he moved towards the door, his father called him, "Terry…" Warren's hand reached out from the hospital bed.
Terry looked at the pleading expression and grabbed his father's hand. He gave it a squeeze and walked out.
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Wayne stared at Terry as he finished relating the day's events.
"And you convinced your mother to let you go to work?"
"I said that I needed the sense of normalcy. She seemed to agree. Personally, I think that she was just glad to get me away for a while. I wasn't exactly Mr. Optimistic today."
"I don't blame you."
"Yeah, well you're the only one. I told Max, and she just about nailed me for being a jerk at my father's bedside."
"Have you told anyone else?"
"No. I wasn't even supposed to tell anyone at all until they finish some sort of paperwork."
"Yes, I imagine that this isn't the sort of thing that they want leaked to the news before they have a chance to get their ducks in a row."
"You mean you don't think that this is a benevolent act of science."
"Do you?"
"No, not really."
"Good, then I've managed to influence you somewhat. If it makes you feel better, you're suspicions are pretty well founded. That research facility that you helped out the other night seems to be involved with the hospital that your father is at."
"You mean that they might have been the ones that experimented on him?"
"I'd be surprised if they weren't, and I'd be more surprised if they were in this for benevolent reasons. I did some research on the scientists at that facility. They don't have the cleanest of backgrounds."
"So, my dad could be part of some evil scheme after all?"
"Indirectly. I don't think that the fact that he's your father has anything to do with it, but a scheme that raises people from the dad like this doesn't usually have pure intentions behind it."
"Yeah, well I'd better go out and patrol. Tell me if you find anything else out."
"Of course."
Terry pulled his cowl back up on his head and left to begin the night's activities. For once, it was a relief to have to become Batman. He knew exactly what to do, and for a few hours at least, he could quit being Terry and quit trying to figure out his own life.